Road trips have stretched into a threadbare tightrope, a thin red line flanked by ditches as big as rivers.

Blame it on the team from the Ohio River.

The Browns were tooling down the highway with a 9-5 record when they checked into Paul Brown Stadium on Dec. 23, 2007. The Bengals were bad that year, but the Browns lost anyway, 19-14.

They missed the playoffs and saw their prospects wither hideously.

In roughly six years, starting with that defeat, the Browns are 9-36 on the road as they head back to Cincinnati, this time with playoff contention at stake.

It is a good time to have Jason Campbell at the wheel.

Whereas the Browns have won just five of their last 28 road games, the new quarterback has won five of his last 10 road starts, with three different teams.

That includes five wins in Campbell’s last eight road games with Oakland, the team that gave him his last extended chance to start.

Campbell lost his only road start with the Browns, but even that was encouraging. He posted a 116.6 passer rating and had Cleveland on the cusp at undefeated Kansas City.

“On the road, it’s all about patience,” Campbell said. “Patience and communication.”

Campbell’s recent 5-5 stretch on the road began in 2010. He was in the league, learning the ropes, for five years before that.

“I think I played at Cincinnati, once,” he said. “I don’t remember the year. That’s back in the deep archives.”

The game was in 2008, his fourth year with Washington. At one point that year, Campbell was 6-2, including a win over Cleveland. On Dec. 14, he lost 20-13 at Cincinnati, fracturing the Redskins’ playoff hopes. For what it’s worth, he went 17-of-28 for 167 yards, with a touchdown, no sacks and no interceptions.

While that was a long time ago, it is part of the road-wise education he carries to Cincinnati Sunday.

“On the road,” he said, “you have to ride the wave from the get-go, when it’s loud and teams are pumped. You’ve got to keep yourself at an even keel.

“I think my experience helps me in this type of situation. It’s been a while since I’ve been down a stretch.

“One play at a time. Don’t try to win the game on one play. Stay within the game.”

Funny he would say that. Cincinnati’s head coach, Marvin Lewis, is trying to drill that very concept into third-year pro Andy Dalton.

Page 2 of 2 - “My best advice to the quarterback is, we can only score on one possession at a time,” Lewis said. “That’s my advice to him all the time. Stay within yourself. A veteran player understands that. He understands he doesn’t have to force the issue.”

Campbell was AFC offensive player of the week for his recent work against Baltimore, a win in his second start for the Browns.

“I think he’s a beautiful passer,” said Lewis, who is coming off a loss at Baltimore. “He’s doing a great job of managing the game. He doesn’t turn the ball over. He continues to play mistake-free football.

“He’s moving in the pocket, extending plays, moving and making first downs by finding the open guy. And that’s impressive.”

Campbell has gone 46-of-75 for 561 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions.

“Jason’s really been efficient in managing the offense,” Cleveland head coach Rob Chudzinski said. “He’s made good decisions, has not turned the ball over. Even moreso, I know when tough stretches come, he can battle through those tough stretches. That’s a key to that position.”

Dalton has thrown six picks in his last two games, overtime losses at Miami and Baltimore.

“I’ve got to do a better job of not turning it over,” Dalton said. “If you lose a turnover battle, you’re more than likely going to lose the game.”